SIMI VALLEY : Police Report Jump in Crime in 1991

Crime in Simi Valley increased by 13.5% in 1991, with 7,388 felony and misdemeanor offenses reported, compared to 6,508 reported in 1990, police officials said Wednesday.

The Police Department’s year-end summary showed that major crimes accounted for 7.7% of the increase, said Sgt. John Wilcox. Major crimes include murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, auto theft, larceny and arson.

The number of homicides reported in 1991 was six, compared to one in 1990, the largest increase in 13 years, according to police records.

Still, Police Chief Paul Miller played down the jump in homicides.

He pointed out that three of the homicides that occurred last year were murder-suicides, in which one family member fatally shot another before committing suicide.

“That’s really not something that is preventable by government,” Miller said. Police have not solved the other three slayings, he said.

Meanwhile, the number of robberies in the city increased by 10.3% and the number of burglaries jumped 9.8%, but the number of violent crimes, such as rape and aggravated assault, dropped.

For example, there were 13 rapes reported in 1991, compared to 16 in 1990, an 18.8% decrease, according to police records. There were 155 aggravated assaults in 1991, compared to 164 the year before, a 5.5% decrease.

Miller said the biggest increase in crime was in vandalism and gang-related incidents involving tire slashings, vehicle break-ins and graffiti. These incidents increased by 52.5%.

The city, which has had a graffiti abatement program in place since 1989, last year set aside funding to support a new police gang task force. The City Council also recently formed a citizens task force to recommend other steps to stem gang activity.